Old Heads Rejoice, MC Eiht’s Which Way Iz West Is Classic West Coast Hip-Hop

MC Eiht is one of the original West Coast rappers. Signed to Ruthless Records, the label that N.W.A. started, he was the leader of rap group Compton’s Most Wanted. He was also most recently honored with a short feature on Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City track “m.A.A.d. City.” After a lengthy eleven year hiatus, MC Eiht has returned with his new record Which Way Iz West, a project that bridges modern day production fans with the more purist heads of West Coast’s golden age.

Featuring fellow West Coast alumni such as the Outlawz (Tupac’s old group), B-Real, Kurupt, Xzibit, and the Lady of Rage, MC Eiht shows that even old flows can still be great, especially with this lineup and some exceptional production. Teaming up with the legendary DJ Premier and his recently signed Austrian DJ, Brenk Sinatra, the duo showcases their excellent knowledge of West Coast beats and melds them with the boom-bap of DJ Premier’s New York City background.

Which Way Iz West also spotlights the exceptional lyricism featured from not only MC Eiht himself, but the Lady of Rage on “Heart’s Cold,” which won her Best Verse of the Month right here on the Roseandblog. With some amazing production, catchy hooks and solid flow, MC Eiht’s newest release is exactly what all mature rappers making a comeback should strive for. Which Way Iz West reminds us not only where this sound dominates, but further bolsters the strength of West Coast hip-hop today.